A Peeping Tom who used his cell phone to observe an Edmonton police officer as he was using a public urinal was ordered to take counselling on Monday.

Spencer Murray, 29, was handed a suspended sentence and placed on probation for 18 months after early pleading guilty to one count of voyeurism.

Provincial Court Judge Janet Dixon rejected a defence pitch for a conditional discharge, saying it would be against the interest of the public, which resulted in Murray getting a criminal record for the offence.

Dixon noted that a pre-sentence report had indicated that Murray had some sexual addiction issues and she ordered that he be assessed and take any psychiatric or psychological counselling as directed.

Court has heard Murray was in a washroom cubicle at the University of Alberta Hospital on Aug. 8, 2012, and he used his iPhone through the crack of the door to watch the uniformed officer as he used the urinal.

The officer, who cannot be identified under a court-ordered publication ban, had been at the hospital escorting a prisoner. He heard a noise to his right and then noticed the camera lens in the crack of the cubicle door.

The officer then kicked the cubicle door and told Murray to come out. He then arrested him and turned him over to his partner.

In a victim impact statement, the officer wrote that he felt “violated” and “ashamed” and questioned whether he had chosen the right career.

The officer also said that news of the incident had “spread like wildfire” at his police station and he became the “punch line” to many jokes for weeks on end, as well as being labelled as the officer who was “peeped on.”

Prior to being sentenced, Murray apologized to the officer. “I know what I did that day was deplorable,” said Murray. “I am sorry for what I did.”

Voyeur spied on Edmonton cop

A Peeping Tom who used his cell phone to observe an Edmonton police officer as he was using a public urinal was ordered to take counselling on Monday.

Spencer Murray, 29, was handed a suspended sentence and placed on probation for 18 months after early pleading guilty to one count of voyeurism.

Provincial Court Judge Janet Dixon rejected a defence pitch for a conditional discharge, saying it would be against the interest of the public, which resulted in Murray getting a criminal record for the offence.

Dixon noted that a pre-sentence report had indicated that Murray had some sexual addiction issues and she ordered that he be assessed and take any psychiatric or psychological counselling as directed.